Tracer projectile



June 2, 1970 R. BARR TRACER PROJECTILE Filed May 2, 1968 INVENTOR. IRWINR. BARR W ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 102-87 3 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A projectile having a steel front section anda magnesium tail section. The magnesium tail section contains anigniting mixture composed of zirconium and barium chromate which uponignition will act to initiate the burning of the magnesium tail sectionthereby causing a trace.

The invention described herein may be manufactured, used, and licensedby or for the Government for governmental purposes without the paymentto me of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to a tracer projectile and more particularly to atracer projectile comprised of a twopiece, magnesium-steel, projectilehaving an igniting mixture in a tail section.

In the past, it was well known in the art to provide burning means in aprojectile so as to be able to trace its path. Upon the advent offlechettes or very small type projectiles the problem of achieving atrace Without affecting the ballistic trajectory became acute. This isdue, partially, to the very small area within which the burning meanscan be located.

The instant invention overcomes the aforementioned problems by providingthe projectile in two sections, namely, a forward portion comprised ofsteel and a tail portion comprised of magnesium. A pocket is provided,at the rear of the tail portion, which contains a special ignitingmixture which will ignite the magnesium tail portion causing a visibletrace of the projectile flight path.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide aprojectile of the fiechette type having tracing means.

Another object is the provision of a projectile having tracing meanswhich tracing means do not affect the ballistic trajectory.

The above objects as well as others together with the benefits andadvantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to thedetailed description set forth below, particularly when taken inconjunction with the drawing annexed hereto in which: a projectile iscomprised of a forward steel section 12 having a nose portion 14 and3,515,072 Patented June 2, 1970 a rear portion 16. A plurality of steelfins 18 are provided at the rear portion 16 in order to insure thedesired stability during flight. A magnesium tail section 20 is attachedto the rear portion of projectile 10 in axial alignment therewith by aswaging process, as illustrated by reference character 22. The rearportion of the magnesium tail section 20 defines a pocket 24 whichcontains the special igniting mixture. The igniting mixture is comprisedof, for example, Zirconium and barium chromate, and is ignited from theaction of the primer (not shown) and in turn initiates burning of themagnesium tail section 20.

I claim:

1. A tracer projectile comprising,

a metallic front portion including a body portion,

a nose portion attached to the forward end of said body portion,

a plurality of fins attached to the rearward end of said body portion,

a magnesium rear portion, said rear portion being in axial alignmentwith and connected to said front portion rearwardly of said fins, saidrear portion including a tail portion and having a pocket in therearward end thereof, and

an igniting mixture contained in said pocket to entirely burn away saidmagnesium rear portion but not said front portion.

2. A projectile of the type described in claim 1 wherein said ignitingmixture includes a combustible metal plus oxidizer.

3. A projectile of the type described in claim 1 wherein said ignitingmixture consists of zirconium and barium chromate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,450,892 10/1948 Hale 149-37 XR2,986,999 6/1961 Fiedler et al. 1- 102-87 3,118,798 1/1964 Winckler149-37 XR 3,160,537 12/1964 Trafton 14937 3,344,711 10/ 1967 Mawhinneyet a1. 3,401,636 9/1968 Ciccone et a1.

OTHER REFERENCES Marks: Mechanical Engineers Handbook, 5th ed., 1951,pp. 609-611.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner C. T. JORDAN, Assistant ExaminerUS. Cl. X.R. 102-60

